Martin's Tour of Richmond cycling event set for Oct. 6

RICHMOND, Va. — If you are in the mood for a bicycle ride Oct. 6, you will not have to pedal alone, and you will have a choice of three distances: 102 miles, 58 miles and 29 miles.

No matter the distance, the ride in the Martin's Tour of Richmond will end at Richmond International Raceway, where there will be live entertainment and dinner for all participants.

The Richmond Sports Backers announced their first Gran Fondo (long distance) event Wednesday at RIR. Martin's is the title sponsor of the event.

"It's not about the elite athlete," said Jon Lugbill, executive director of Richmond Sports Backers. "It's about everybody taking part."

The races will be timed so some elite, or at least highly competitive, cyclists probably will take part.

No prize money will be awarded, but there will be awards for the top three male and female riders as well as age-group awards.

The rides are supposed to be similar to stage races in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.

"We're not a mountain stage, but we are a rolling-hill stage," Lugbill said. "To have this in Central Virginia is special and something new to cycling events in our region."

The 102-mile ride will cross eight local jurisdictions: the city of Richmond, town of Ashland and the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Louisa and Powhatan.

The longest ride will start at RIR.

The 58-mile event is scheduled to begin at the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College campus in Goochland, and the 29-mile ride is expected to begin at Poor Farm Park in Hanover.

Registration is available at the Sports Backers web site (www.sportsbackers.org).

Registration fees for the 102-miler range from $95 through Aug. 15 to $115 for walk-up registrants Oct. 5-6; $85 to $105 for the 58-mile ride; $75-95 for the 29-mile event; and $30 to $50 for riders 14 and younger.

A $20 discount is available for anyone making a donation of at least $50 to the Richmond bike/walk advocacy program.